Mumbai civic poll is a battle for change: Deshmukh

Mumbai, Jan 20 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said the election to the high-profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was a battle for change which was inevitable.

Kickstarting the party's campaign to the February one polls and releasing the manifesto at Kherwadi, near the residence of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, Mr Deshmukh said Mumbaikars have a golden opportunity to oust the Shiv Sena-BJP from the BMC, Asia's largest and richest civic body. The Shiv Sena-BJP has betrayed the Mumbaikars by seeking to divide them in the name of religion, language and region, he said.

''In the last ten years of their rule, they have contributed to the degradation of Mumbai,''he added.

''During elections, the saffron combine plays the Marathi card.

Time has come to ask them what positive contributions have they made for the Marathi-speaking population in Mumbai,''Mr Deshmukh asked.

The Chief Minister said people from all walks of life and different parts of the country come here with a belief of making it big in the city of dreams. ''Their blood and sweat has contributed to the glory of the metropolis,''he added.

Mr Deshmukh said Rs 56,000 crore will be spent in the next five years on Mumbai for different infrastructure projects and upgradation of civic amenities in the city.

Expressing confidence that the Congress will secure a majority in the 227-member civic body on its own, Mr Deshmukh said only the Congress was capable of protecting the secular fabric of the city and providing it stability.

Lashing out at the Shiv Sena-BJP, Mr Deshmukh said the Mayor of Mumbai was invisible during the July 26, 2005 deluge. ''The Shiv Sena-BJP only criticised that their powers have been taken away or diluted. During the deluge crisis, I was handling the situation and taking the brunt of criticism as if I was the only one responsible.

But, I did not run away like others because I am committed to the city and have the courage to handle criticism. The Shiv Sena-BJP has no right to seek votes now,''he added.

Taking on the NCP, Mr Deshmukh said, ''It is better not to speak about the NCP. Sometimes, we unnecessarily give them importance by speaking about them. '' More UNI